Freemount and Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas on what's so special about Junior B

THE Freemount hurlers and Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas footballers collected the silverware at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday afternoon, securing the Cork Junior B Championships for first teams. 

Freemount edged out Randal Óg, beaten for the second year in a row in the hurling decider, thanks to a Jason Ballantyne point deep into injury after a pulsating clash that ended 1-18 to 1-17.

The football decider ended with Ó Mathúnas, based in the Castletown-Kenneigh and Coppeen area of Enniskeane in West Cork, secure the title for the third time, following up on victories in 1995 and 2012.

Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas were deserving victors against Fr O’Neill’s after an entertaining and engaging affair.

Speaking to The Echo, Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas coach Liam O’Reilly was delighted with his side's impressive efforts in the 2-13 to 1-9 win.

"This was definitely their best day. I thought it was a lovely game of football. There was a lot of direct ball, there was a lot of off-the-shoulder passing.

“We missed a few points that we should have got. But then again we got a nice goal. Gavin O’Leary made a brilliant save there towards the finish.

“When we came out, we knew that if we didn’t stop them from their running, because they were running off the ball and they were creating a huge amount of space.

“But when we got the ball I thought we used it exceptionally well. Full-back, Ronan McCarthy was up and down the field like a yo-yo. Then he came up and got a point towards the finish. 

"Our subs came on and they did a good job. Our chief scorer in every game would have been Jack O’Callaghan. But he was man-marked so the rest of the lads had to be there. They realised that as a unit they work really, really well.

I thought it was an exceptional game of football considering it was Junior B. That was of a way higher standard than Junior B."

O’Reilly paid tribute to O'Neill's: “When you are playing a senior team, you are playing a senior mentality. They are used to being here. Fr O’Neill’s have been to an All-Ireland final.

“I know it might have been hurling, but you still had a team that are exceptionally good and they should be able to apply themselves to football.” 

For selector Freemount selector John O’Flynn, a hurling county was a vindication for years of disappointment.

“When Randal Óg scored that late goal I said to myself 'here we go again...' as we had lost eight county finals between hurling and football. The lads couldn’t face leaving Pairc Ui Rinn on the losers' bus.

“Listen Randal Óg are a quality team for the Junior B level and having watched them last season against Belgooly in the final I was actually hoping they would win that would have promoted them to Junior A.

“I had a feeling there was a strong possibility we would play them in the final this season and sure enough it happened.” 

Freemount have a rich history at A level themselves.

“We were a Junior A team for years and contested a final in 1998 and won five or six Duhallow titles so to be honest it was a huge decision for the club to go down to Junior B.

We were struggling big time for numbers and results and it’s the best thing we ever did to rebuild. 

"We are not up to the elite teams in Junior A as it's taken us three years to win this championship but I am sure this victory will give the club a huge lift." 

One of the veterans of the team Paidi Collins stood on his own at the end, witnessing the ecstatic scenes.

Collins said: “We had a good start in the noughties but then came a drought and we had to take the decision to go down Junior B much to the annoyance of some people but sometimes you have face reality as a club.

Collins is married to former Cork Camogie and Football star Rena Buckley, who was in the stand with daughter Ella witnessing him register seven points for his team.

“I think this win is for the many people in our club that put so many voluntary hours to keep the show on the road.”